What to do if a piece of metal-ceramic crown breaks off? Elimination of chips and damage on metal-ceramic crowns Is it possible to restore a metal-ceramic crown without removing.

Chips of cermets occur from time to time, despite the fact that this is a fairly durable type of construction. Sometimes the cause is patient negligence, sometimes doctors' mistakes, sometimes unforeseen circumstances (injury due to impact or fall). Let's figure out for now what reason this is happening.

Causes

  • installation of a prosthesis for persons with a history of bruxism (teeth grinding)
  • violation of the operation of the prosthesis (opening beer bottles with teeth, biting wires)
  • non-observance of technology by a dental technician at laboratory stages
  • doctor's mistake in preparing for a metal-ceramic crown
  • installation of a prosthesis in patients with certain occlusion disorders, when a greater load falls on the artificial tooth than originally planned

Price

The cost of repairing a metal-ceramic chip will be 2500-4000 rubles. Much depends on the size and location of the defect. In the event that the cause was a mistake by a doctor or a technician, then the patient does not pay anything. Otherwise (accidental blow, the warranty period has passed), the patient pays for everything himself.

Treatment

First of all, it is important to determine the cause of the cermet chip. If it arose as a result of the patient's careless actions, then a preventive conversation is needed; if due to improper formation of the stump by a doctor or violations in the laboratory, then it is imperative to remove and remake the entire prosthesis; if due to a missed or developed bite pathology, then the patient is first referred to an orthodontist, and so on. If the cause is not identified and eliminated, the defect will appear again. There are 4 basic principles for the repair of metal-ceramic crowns, of which dentists most often resort to the last two. We will list them all, and then we will analyze each separately.

  1. remove and restore only the cleaved area
  2. leave everything as it is, adjusting sharp and uneven areas
  3. remove and completely redo the denture, maybe even make a new one from scratch
  4. eliminate the defect in the mouth with the help of special filling and restorative materials

Restoration of a separate area

The orthopedist will de-cement the crown, give it to the technician and try to add the missing veneer in the laboratory. This method is the least effective, most often a relapse occurs after it and the structure breaks down again.

Leave as is

When it comes to the teeth of the chewing group and a small piece broke off from the lingual or palatal side, then in some cases they prefer the tactic “do not itch - do not scratch”, that is, the repair of metal-ceramic crowns is mono and not carried out as such. The uneven edge is ground, rounded, roughness removed and left alone. However, this is fraught with the danger of further destruction of the structure. Pros when metal is exposed in the mouth, pain and burning sensation (galvanosis) may appear.

Complete alteration of the prosthesis

It is necessary to carefully uncement the crown in the mouth, this is a rather difficult stage, because it is firmly fixed. After extraction, the doctor assesses the damage received and determines whether it is possible to reuse the resulting stump or whether it is necessary to do everything anew. Then he cleans the stump, removes an impression, transfers the technique, he prepares a second crown, gives it to the doctor, the doctor plants the structure. This is the most expensive method, but the most reliable.

Restoration in the mouth with filling material

Previously, this method was rarely used for chipped metal ceramics due to the lack of sufficiently high-quality materials and insufficient development of technology; recently it has become more and more popular.

  • Install a rubber dam (rubber dam). Not all doctors know how to use it, but it provides reliable isolation of the working field from liquids
  • The exposed metal is dissected with a diamond bur in order to create retention points (these will improve the physical adhesion to the filling)
  • Remove irregularities, create a bevel at the edge of the ceramic at an angle of 45˚
  • Etching (30-60 sec), rinsing, drying. Etch not with phosphoric acid (it does not take ceramics), but another, for example, hydrofluoric acid. It does not cause a reaction on the skin, but it strongly irritates the mucous membrane, therefore careful isolation from soft tissues is needed
  • Apply silane, just wait 1-2 minutes (see material instructions)
  • Application of opaque material (opaque) for 30-40 seconds, curing with a halogen lamp
  • A composite material is applied in layers (first dentin, then enamel layers), illuminating each new portion

Despite the fact that cermet is one of the most durable types of materials, it also needs periodic repairs due to the possibility of chips and cracks. The restoration of a chipped metal-ceramic crown, as well as other structural damage, is now possible in dental clinics, including the VTV Medical Center. Timely seeking the help of specialists helps to prevent the appearance of micro-wounds in oral cavity due to friction with sharp chipped crowns and restores the normal functioning of the jaw.

What is the reason for most often the restoration of porcelain fused-to-metal crowns?

Chips and cracks form on metal-ceramic crowns, even with careful handling. Among the not so obvious reasons causing crown breakage, one can single out:

  • Incorrectly selected and incompatible materials.
  • Errors made by the dentist when installing crowns.
  • Violation of the rules for caring for metal-ceramic prostheses.
Tooth restoration is performed using high quality composite materials. Within 20-25 minutes without painful sensations, the dentist eliminates the traces of broken prostheses and, as a result, the artificial teeth look like natural again.

How is the repair of metal-ceramic crowns carried out

We will tell you more about how damaged crowns are restored.

  • Restoration of minor damage (photo-hardening composite materials are used to mask small cracks - this takes no more than 30 minutes).
  • Repair of large-area damage (first, the metal surface and the ceramic coating of the tooth are exposed in the area where the chip is found. The damaged area is treated with a diamond drill and layer-by-layer coated with composite materials; in the process of adhesion, the surface of the tooth is tightly attached to it).

In some cases, it becomes impossible to repair the crowns, then the dental technician replaces the damaged artificial tooth with a new one. Therefore, it is very important to seek medical help if cracks are found at an earlier stage.

Features of caring for metal-ceramic crowns

For repaired crowns, it is necessary to carry out proper care so that the fixed composite material holds for a long time, does not violate the integrity of the entire dentition.

Constantly clean your mouth and teeth in particular from plaque.

Many people believe that plaque does not collect on artificial teeth, so plaque can be removed less often. In fact, bacteria that collect on the surface of the tooth are harmful primarily to the gums. By causing inflammation, plaque can even cause destruction of the abutment tooth. It is necessary to clean metal-ceramic teeth in the same way as natural ones. It is important to pay attention to the interdental passages - special floss and brushes are used for their care.

Visit your dentist regularly

Even if the attending physician has convinced you of the strength of the installed prostheses, it is extremely important to periodically make an appointment for a preventive examination. This will allow for early dates identify small chips and cracks.

Give up bad habits

But even the most attentive patient can harm his metal-ceramic prostheses if he continues to adhere to his bad habits: gnaw hard objects, his nails, brush nuts, seeds with his teeth or open bottle caps with them. It is strictly forbidden to clean food debris from the gaps between the teeth with forks or other sharp metal objects.

Dryers and crackers can also harm both refurbished and new dentures. Try to consume dry and solid foods as little as possible.

In cases of installing a bridge, the doctor prescribes washing the prosthesis and gums using a special irrigator or superfloss. You must use fluoride toothpastes by flossing.

As a rule, metal-ceramic crowns become unusable precisely due to improper maintenance of the prosthesis. Listen to the doctor's recommendations and then you will not have to pay twice due to your own inattention.

Restoration of a metal-ceramic crown with damage of any complexity

The medical center "VTV" offers services for the restoration of dental crowns in a short time. We provide complex treatment, dental prosthetics, as well as repairs at affordable prices. Individual approach and professionalism of employees, using only high-quality materials and modern technologies allows you to achieve the perfect smile and the health of your teeth.

VTB managers will tell you about the cost of crown restoration and making an appointment with the clinic's specialists in the form of feedback on the website or by phone.

The main problem when installing metal-ceramic crowns is chipping on them. Is repair possible if a piece of metal-ceramic crown breaks off and can you protect yourself from this trouble?

Raw materials for crowns

Basically, attack when a piece of a metal-ceramic crown breaks off is observed in cases when they are made from combined raw materials.

Cleavage options for different raw materials:

  1. If the composition includes a metal base and a plastic coating, then chips are quite common. This is explained by the poor adhesion of the plastic to the base. It is advisable to use this type of restoration as a temporary construction.
  2. If the composition includes ceramics with metal, chipping is less common, since ceramics breaks only under excessive stress.

Chips on conventional metal-ceramic crowns are also possible if the patient prefers solid food.

Why is this happening?

There are several main causes of damage to cermets:

  • the difference in the coefficients of thermal expansion of different materials that make up the crown has not been taken into account;
  • if the patient has bruxism, and the specialist did not take this into account;
  • with an overly long prosthesis, on which there is increased external and internal pressure;
  • application for fastening the structure of cement;
  • when a foreign body enters the gap between the crown and the tooth on which it is installed;
  • the required frame height is not taken into account, as a result, the ceramic layer is rather large and less reliable;
  • incorrect tooth modeling;
  • violation of processing;
  • hole in the base;
  • violation of technology in the firing process;
  • the human factor, when the patient himself treats the design with negligence.

Recovery stages

Of all types of dental restoration, almost the only constructions that rarely need restoration are metal-ceramic crowns. The reason for this is their rare breakdown.

If, nevertheless, the ceramic coating is chipped from the base, then the following must be done:

  1. Polish the surface. Then the tooth will take on a different shape, but it will remain intact and retain its aesthetic appeal. This option is advisable only in cases where the tooth is outside the smile zone.
  2. Restoration using composite materials. Damage is built up to the original shape of the crown. But it should be understood that this option is more of a temporary solution.
  3. A cost-intensive option is the replacement of cermets. But this method is one of the most reliable.

Due to the fact that the connection of the structure and the tooth occurs with reliable cement, it is practically impossible to remove it from the place of fixation without damage, therefore, restoration outside the oral cavity is not used.

On a note: The process of repairing metal-ceramic crowns is rather complicated, therefore it is very important to follow the technology.

The first step is to dry the recovery area. This is done by applying a rubber dam.

The area of ​​the breakage is processed with a diamond bur. Thus, the required roughness is achieved. Forming a bevel on a ceramic surface.

After that, the entire surface layer is cleaned with a brush. Silane treatment, which dries in a couple of minutes.

The defect is covered with opaque material. Carrying out polymerization with a halogen lamp.

Finally, the doctor applies layer by layer of composite material of the desired shade. All layers cure as they are applied. Completion of work - final grinding.

Video review of the patient about the restoration of teeth using a fixed denture

The indisputable advantage of metal-ceramic structures is their high aesthetics and reliability, however, during use, chips, microcracks and deformation of the integrity of the facing coating can form.

Despite the fact that the metal-ceramic surface has high elasticity and can withstand rather heavy loads, it does not tolerate narrow, sharp impacts.


Such unpleasant situations can arise in the following cases:
  • if there is an incompatibility of materials;
  • with the careless attitude of the doctor and his low qualifications;
  • if there were technical errors during the production of crowns;
  • in case of violation of the recommendations of the dentist;

Chips not only cause aesthetic inconvenience to the patient, but can also cause serious complications. Clinic Leaderstom specialists will help solve these problems.

Before restoring the crown, the dentist will identify the cause of the breakage. In this situation, it is very important to do this, since if the cause is incorrectly established, then relapses are likely.

Modern technologies used in our dental clinic make it possible to quickly and efficiently restore chips on metal-ceramic crowns and prostheses. The materials used in these works guarantee a flawless result. After the restoration procedure, the restored prostheses receive their initial structural reliability, strength and ideal appearance.

After finding the cause, our specialist will determine which recovery method will be the most optimal in this case. Any restorative procedure will begin with a preparatory stage, during which the surface of the prosthesis to be restored is processed.

Restoration of the crown is performed using modern filling materials, which in their composition contain a masking agent that will not allow metal to shine through. After that, the doctor uses a special polishing system, which will give the artificial surface a natural appearance and completely hide the traces of restoration work.

The cost of cermets is quite affordable, but, unfortunately, crowns and prostheses, despite their reliability and safety, are still not ideal designs. Therefore, if you have a chipped metal-ceramic, you should immediately seek the help of a dentist in order to solve functional and aesthetic problems.

Crowns and bridges made of metal-ceramic are sufficiently strong structures and can withstand serious loads. However, if errors in prosthetics are made or if care is not taken in good faith, a chip (crack) of the ceramic layer is possible, while the metal frame retains its original appearance.

Why does the metal-ceramics chip occur?

The practice of using metal-ceramic prostheses has revealed several main reasons:

    • The discrepancy between the coefficients of thermal expansion of the porcelain coating and the metal alloy of the frame.
    • Installation of cermets for patients with bruxism.
    • External stresses and internal stresses on a bridge that is too long.
    • Fixation of the crown with thick cement.
    • Foreign body in the space between the crown and the stump of the tooth.
    • Insufficient height of the metal frame and, as a result, an increased volume of the ceramic layer.
    • Incorrectly modeled tooth relief.
    • Violation of metal surface treatment technology.
    • The presence of holes in the frame.
    • Failure to comply with the temperature regime when firing ceramic veneers,
    • Carelessness or carelessness of the patient when wearing cermet.

The cermet broke off - what to do?

How does the deletion process take place?

    • Polishing the edges of the chips. Suitable only for those areas that are not visible when talking or smiling.
    • Replacement of cermets. The most reliable, but also the most time-consuming and costly option.
    • Repair of the prosthesis after removal from the tooth. Strong fixation to cement practically excludes this option from the list of possible ones. Most likely, the crown will be too badly damaged during the removal operation.
    • Repair of a chipped metal-ceramic directly in the mouth. This option is used more often than others and gives a very good result. How, then, can the ceramic cladding be restored to its previous appearance?

Stages of restoration of chipped metal ceramics

The crown to be restored must be absolutely dry, therefore a rubber dam is applied to the area of ​​the operating field.